"03 - The Sailor On The Sea of Fate" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

Elric was surprised by how shallow the water was and he
wondered by what means such a large vessel could come so
close to the shore. Shoulder-deep in the sea he reached up
to grasp the ebony rungs of the ladder. He had great
difficulty heaving himself from the water and was further
hampered by the swaying of the ship and the weight of his
runesword, but eventually he had clambered awkwardly
over the side and stood on the deck with the water running
from his clothes to the timbers and his body shivering with
cold. He looked about him. Shining, red-tinted mist clung
about the ship's dark yards and rigging, white mist spread
itself over the roofs and sides of the two large cabins set
fore and aft to the mast, and this mist was not of the same
character as the mist beyond the ship. Elric, for a moment,
had the fanciful notion that the mist travelled permanently
wherever the ship travelled. He smiled to himself, putting
the dreamlike quality of his experience down to lack of
food and sleep. When the ship sailed into sunnier waters he
would see it for the relatively ordinary vessel it was.

The blond warrior took Elric's arm. The man was as tall
as Elric and massively built. Within his helm he smiled,
saying:

'Let us go below.'

They went to the cabin forward of the mast and the
warrior drew back a sliding door, standing aside to let Elric
enter first. Elric ducked his head and went into the warmth
of the cabin. A lamp of red-grey glass gleamed, hanging
from four silver chains attached to the roof, revealing

several more bulky figures, fully dressed in a variety of
armours, seated about a square and sturdy tea-table. All
faces turned to regard Elric as he came in, followed by the
blond warrior who said:

'This is he.'

One of the occupants of the cabin, who sat in the
farthest corner and whose features were completely hidden
by the shadow, nodded, 'Aye,' he said. 'That is he.'

'You know me, sir,' said Elric, seating himself at the end
of the bench and removing his sodden leather cloak. The
warrior nearest him passed him a metal cup of hot wine
and Elric accepted it gratefully, sipping at the spiced liquid
and marvelling at how quickly it dispersed the chill within
him.